Weston Will Host Lipton Tennis Meet

July 3, 1985|By Bob Hill, Staff Writer

BOCA RATON — South Florida will be taking the Lipton plunge for at least another three years.

As expected, Butch Buchholz, the chairman and founder of the Lipton International Players Championship tennis tournament, said Tuesday the LIPC is moving to Boca West in 1986 and on to Weston in western Broward County in 1987 and 1988 after spending its inaugural season at Laver`s International Resort.

A three-year contract has been signed between officials of the LIPC and the Arvida Corporation, which owns the Boca West and Weston communities.

``We have been involved in discussions with several sites in Florida and California in recent weeks,`` Buchholz said, ``but I have always had the gut instincts that South Florida was the right place for this tournament because of the population base and the support we got from the media.``

The two-week tournament, dubbed ``Winter Wimbledon,`` will be held Feb. 10-23. The $1.8 million purse will remain the same in 1986 and the tournament will again be televised by ABC, ESPN and several networks overseas.

Tuesday`s announcement ended months of speculation about not only the future sites of the tournament but the future of the LIPC itself. Originally tied to a two-year contract with Laver`s, LIPC officials broke the contract one year early when financial problems surfaced at Laver`s.

``We had been advised that there were problems at Laver`s,`` Buchholz said, ``and in our judgment, those problems were not going to be solved to my satisfaction or the sponsor`s satisfaction. We felt the future of the tournament was in jeopardy. As custodian of the tournament, I needed to do something to ensure its future.``

Buchholz expressed concern that if the LIPC remained with Laver`s for 1986 and Laver`s fell through on its commitments later this year, the LIPC might be out of a home for 1986.

``There was a huge cloud of uncertainty over what was going to happen,`` Buchholz said. ``We couldn`t take that risk.``

Findlay Sinclair, a consultant with the Laver`s International Resort Corporation, said Laver`s may seek legal action against the LIPC.

``We have asked our legal counsel to look at the contract between the organizations and to ask their opinion about what course of action we could possibly take,`` Sinclair said. ``The Lipton people didn`t really give me any specifics (as to why they decided to move.) They said it was in their best interests.``

``I would hope that would not happen. I like those guys and hope they can work out their problems,`` Buchholz said of the possible suit.

One reason the LIPC apparently wanted to move was the fact that Laver`s reportedly owed them money.

``There is some outstanding amounts owed to them,`` said Sinclair.

Officials originally wanted to move the tournament directly to Weston for 1986, but logistical problems blunted that effort. Neither the tennis facilities nor the access roads to Weston will be completed in time for the tournament next year.

To hold the LIPC in 1986, Boca West is planning to build 13 new hard-surface courts at the site of the former Paine Webber Classic, held at the 1,436-acre resort community in 1984.

Ironically, it was the Arvida Corporation that originally had the Lipton Cup and later dropped it. Buchholz` failures to secure a national television package by a prescribed time had prompted Arvida`s initial decision to back out and opened the way for Laver`s to move in.

``We`re happy to be back with Arvida,`` Buchholz said. ``I understood their reasoning before.``

Buchholz said he hopes Weston can become the LIPC`s permanent home. A decision on future sites and a permanent stadium at Weston probably will be made after the 1987 tournament.

Additionally, the tournament dates have tentatively been pushed back to Feb. 23-March 8 in 1987. Tournament officials hope the later dates will bring the LIPC better weather. High winds tormented competitors in the 1985 tournament and led to a flurry of upsets.

The wind factor was listed as one reason John McEnroe, the world`s top-rated male player, didn`t play this year.

The inaugural LIPC, touted as a fifth grand slam tournament, was deemed a success by Buchholz. Despite the cold and windy conditions, the tournament drew 125,817 fans, including 11,300 for the women`s final between Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert Lloyd.